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Cops rushed to hospital after being injured when they were pelted with snowballs

The New York Police Department has released photos of four men accused of an 'assault' on cops after two officers were injured when they were struck with ice and snowballs

[Cops were pelted with snowballs]

Cops were pelted with snowballs(Image: BGonthescene/X)

Two cops were taken to hospital after being injured by snowballs. Police officers in New York were bombarded after they attended the city's iconic Washington Square Park to break up an organised snowball fight.

The New York Police Department said two uniformed officers were "intentionally struck multiple times with snow and ice causing injury to their head, neck and face". It has released images of four men it would like to speak to in connection with the incident.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he does not believe anyone should be charged in the incident as it "looks like a snowball fight", but he was blasted by the Police Benevolent Association who branded it "an assault by adults throwing chunks of ice and rocks".

[Video shows a police officer being hit on the neck with chunks of ice]

Video shows a police officer being hit on the neck with chunks of ice(Image: BGonthescene/X)

Police officers responded to Washington Square Park in Manhattan at 4 pm on Monday to reports of people on a roof inside the beauty spot. When they arrived on the scene, police say the crowd began throwing snowballs at them.

Video shows cops being pelted with snowballs while some shouted "f*** you, b***h" as police tried to push through the crowd, which had gathered after organisers put out a social media post advertising the event.

Two officers were taken to hospital after being struck in the face and head, causing an outcry from the city's police unions who demanded a criminal investigation.

[Cops released images of people they want to speak to in relation to the incident]

Cops released images of people they want to speak to in relation to the incident(Image: NYPD)

Patrick Hendry, president of the largest union the Police Benevolent Association, said: "This was not just a 'snowball fight.' This was an assault - by adults throwing chunks of ice and rocks - that landed two police officers in the hospital with head and face injuries.

"This was disgraceful. It wasn't a joke. It wasn't a game. It was a vicious attack. An assault on two New York City police forces that landed them in the hospital."

[Huge crowds gathered to take part in the snowball fight]

Huge crowds gathered to take part in the snowball fight(Image: Getty Images)

After viewing video of the melee, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said on social media: "The behavior depicted is disgraceful, and it is criminal. Our detectives are investigating this matter."

Mayor Mamdani downplayed the episode after being asked multiple times during a press conference on Tuesday. He told reporters: "I can just tell you from the video I saw, it looked like kids at a snowball fight."

[One of the men police would like to speak to]

One of the men police would like to speak to(Image: NYPD)

But he later called for New Yorkers to treat all city workers including cops to be treated with respect, posting on X: "I've seen the videos of kids throwing snowballs at NYPD officers in Washington Square Park.

"Officers, like all city workers, have been out in a historic blizzard, keeping New Yorkers safe and cars moving. Treat them with respect. If anyone's catching a snowball, it's me."

[The fight was organised on social media]

The fight was organised on social media(Image: Getty Images)

Eyewitness Rahul Nag told ABC it began as harmless fun but spiraled out of control when several youths started hurling snow from the roof of the parks toilets.

He said: "It wasn't supposed to be violent. It was - it started out as a very fun thing to do. And then, you know, it just escalated. There weren't any older kids or older people out here. It was just young kids having fun.

"Then it kind of became a back-and-forth thing between NYPD and those young kids, you know what I mean?"

[The huge snowball fight descended into chaos]

The huge snowball fight descended into chaos(Image: Getty Images)

New York has been blanketed in snow after a intense storm brought blizzard conditions to the northeastern US. The major winter storm has seen more than 19in of snow fall so far in many areas of New York City over the course of Sunday and Monday.

In Manhattan, the snow forced authorities to divert resources to snow clearance, leaving residents without rubbish collections for days. Central Park, often used as the benchmark for citywide snowfall, recorded 19.7 inches.

And the city was put on high alert after experts predicted another 24 inches across the wider region.

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